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The Fall of Man
(Baroque Europe )
Adam and Eve, the first humans, are depicted at the moment of their transgression, which led to their expulsion from Eden. Spurred on by the serpent, Eve hands Adam an apple from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The monkey, an animal known for its lustfulness, indicates their folly.
The bodies of Adam and Eve are arranged in graceful curves that draw them together around the central axis of the tree. The representation of a leafy tree, a motif associated with landscape painting, is a striking example of a 17th-century sculptor challenging the limits of his medium in the pursuit of naturalism.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Purchased by Marcus Antocolsky, Paris; Sale, Hotel Drouot, Paris, June 10, 1901 [1]; purchased by Madame C. Lelong, Paris; Sale, Paris, April 30, 1903, no. 301; purchased by (?) Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1903; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.
[1] Number unknown
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 7/23/1974 | Treatment | cleaned; coated |
Geographies
Italy, Florence (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 23 7/8 in. (60.7 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1903
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.676